Pat Thomas “The Long Long Night” (Verve 10333-B, 1964) Jazz Singer Pat Thomas found herself in an interesting predicament. Having trotted onto the scene in 1961, she managed to score the one of highest charting versions of ” “Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune)” the next year. Her relative youth, beauty and poise made her seem…
Author: Laurence Jones
Time Capsule or actual human being, who knows. Laurence Jones has been sifting through ephemera of the past seemingly forever, spinning vinyl for you, taking film photography and entertaining you with instagram posts of the decrepit old cars they own. You can find previous writing by them at djlarsupreme.com and medium.com
Erma Franklin “Don’t Wait Too Long” (Epic 9559-B, 1963)
Erma Franklin “Don’t Wait Too Long” (Epic 9559-B, 1963) *Happy Birthday Erma Franklin* The oft overlooked older sister of The Queen of Soul would have celebrated Birthday 78 this March 13th. Although scoped out for secular music ahead of her sisters, Erma was actually a year behind Aretha for signing with a record label. She…
The Apollas “Open The Door, Fool” (Warner Brothers 7181, 1968)
The Apollas “Open The Door, Fool” (Warner Brothers 7181, 1968) Another door opens, and then it closes. So goes a number of “game of love” songs in the proliferation of music created by humanity. There’s plenty of those to find and discover in the Lady Soul mold, therefore, as we slip and slide down a…
Laura Lee “If You Can Beat Me Rockin’ (You Can Have My Chair)” (Hot Wax 7027, R&B #31 Pop#65, 1972)
Laura Lee “If You Can Beat Me Rockin’ (You Can Have My Chair)” (Hot Wax 7027, R&B #31 Pop#65, 1972) As we come off the waves of International Women’s Day and plunge further into Women’s History Month, we find yet another powerful Pisces woman of soul celebrating their birthday. We wish Laura Lee a fulfilling…
Barbara McNair “Forget You Ever Met Me, Baby” (From the LP The Real Barbara McNair, 1969)
Barbara McNair “Forget You Ever Met Me, Baby” (From the LP The Real Barbara McNair, 1969) It’s not like Barbara McNair needed her tenure at Motown from 1965 through 1969. Nevertheless, some of her finest output came from her brief stints in Studio A on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit between her nightclub appearances, Film…
Stephanie Mills “Living On Plastic”(From the LP For The First Time, 1975)
Stephanie Mills “Living On Plastic”(From the LP For The First Time, 1975) There’s a lot to be said about the megawattage pairing of Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Among 1960’s female pop phenoms, other than The Shirelles to Supremes continuum, and Aretha’s 1967 ascension,. Dionne’s sophisticated Soft Soul was perhaps the most influential….
Dear Blondie: A Reflection on Florence Ballard and the legacy of The Supremes.
She was terrific. She was also terrified of the world. 40 years ago today, Florence Glenda Chapman, formerly Florence Ballard of The Supremes, died suddenly of Coronary Thrombosis in Detroit. The inspiration for Dreamgirls became a ghostly gothic story that day. An intersection in which race, rape culture, the pressures of fame and feminism developed…
Nancy Wilson “Don’t Talk, Just Sing” (From the LP “The Nancy Wilson Show!” 1965)
Nancy Wilson “Don’t Talk, Just Sing” (From the LP “The Nancy Wilson Show!” 1965) I have to say the parade of performers I grew up with was remarkably prominent. A number of them I learned about from Delco Tape Decks (8 track! or Cassette) on road trips with relatives. When calm was called for, the Fancy…
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles “Can You Love A Poor Boy?” (From the LP Away We Go-Go, 1966)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles “Can You Love A Poor Boy?” (From the LP Away We Go-Go, 1966) There’s no other way to address Smokey Robinson other than as the first gem in the Motown Crown. The Pisces Poet and Prophet of the Motown sound turns a rather youthful 76 years old today. In 60+…
Irma Thomas “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand) (Imperial 66041, Pop #52, 1964)
Irma Thomas “Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand) (Imperial 66041, Pop #52, 1964) There’s no mystery, yet still a mystery in Irma Thomas’s voice. The Soul Queen of New Orleans has been delighting audiences for 57 years, and today we applaud the fact that this soul survivor still sells out and serenades us…
DJ Larsupreme 